Alexander Isak's desire to join Liverpool came 14 years after a former Reds No. 9 sought a move away from Anfield
Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates with Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt
Fernando Torres became a hated figure at Anfield after joining Chelsea 15 years ago(Image: 2008 Getty Images)
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Alexander Isak had to force his move to Liverpool through in a transfer that somewhat mirrored Fernando Torres' exit from Anfield. The Swedish international was at the centre of the biggest story of the summer last year, as he pushed for a move away from Newcastle United in order to join the Reds.
A club-record £125million deal was agreed on transfer deadline day last September to finally put an end to Isak's career in the North East. The 26-year-old - who reignited his career at Liverpool with a brace in their 2-0 win over Ipswich - is the current possessor of the club's famous No. 9 shirt.
Worn by the likes of Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Roberto Firmino, former Reds hero Torres was a previous owner of the number until his controversial £50million sale to Chelsea in 2011 after three-and-a-half seasons at Liverpool.
While Isak went on strike at Newcastle to push through his departure, Torres never refused to play for Liverpool, but did make his desire to leave the club clear. Following his exit, the World Cup winner accused the Reds of attempting to portray him as a "traitor" - a label Isak has been brushed with by Magpies fans.
The Spaniard claimed he had no choice but to leave because of the transfer strategy put in place by Fenway Sports Group after completing their takeover of the club. Quoted in 2016's Ring of Fire: Liverpool FC into the 21st Century - The Players' Stories by Simon Hughes, Torres said: "[Damien, former director of football strategy at Liverpool] Comolli told me that the new owners, they had an idea of how to spend their investment.
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IPSWICH, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Alexander Isak of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Ipswich Town and Liverpool FC at Portman Road on September 04, 2026 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Alexander Isak looks to have kickstarted his Liverpool career(Image: Getty Images)
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"They wanted to bring in young players, to build something new. I was thinking to myself, this takes time to work. It takes two, three, four, maybe even 10 years. I didn't have that time. I was 27 years old. I did not have time to wait.
"I wanted to win. Here we are five years later and they are still trying to build – around the same position in the league as when I left. It was presented as if I was a traitor. It was not like this in the discussion(s). Liverpool could not admit they were doing something wrong with the whole team. They had to find a guilty one."
Despite scoring 82 goals in 141 matches for Liverpool, Torres' form drastically declined at Stamford Bridge, scoring just 45 goals in 172 matches, but he did go on to win the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League.
Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard (R) of Liverpool look dejected after Wolverhampton Wanderers opened the scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on December 29, 2010 in Liverpool, England.
Speculation surrounding Fernando Torres' future at Liverpool was strife in his last season at Anfield(Image: Getty Images)
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Isak also endured a drop in form, alongside injury issues, in his debut campaign at Liverpool. He scored just four goals in 22 games across all competitions, but now looks to have kick-started his career at the club.
He scored his first goal of the season in the Reds' 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest, before netting a first-half brace at Portman Road last Friday in what was his best performance since his arrival.
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While a thawing in the relationship between Isak and Newcastle may never come, it occurred in Torres' case. He told official club channels in 2019: "I’m really proud to say I will support Liverpool forever, it doesn’t matter what happened." He returned to Anfield - and scored - when playing in a charity match in 2024.